5 easy tips for improving your drawing skills

We all want to very quickly improve our drawing skills and to create astonishing artworks overnight. It's possible sometimes, but in most of cases it needs work - hard and continuous work. More specifically - qualitative and productive work.
So, let's begin with what you have to keep in mind while practicing drawing:

•  Draw everyday.

Keep a sketchbook with you everywhere and when you have some free 5 minutes (while waiting the bus or travelling by train) draw something in it. It's important to draw everyday as your hand needs to remain heated and always prepared for the next fabulous artwork. When the hand is exercised it easier represents what you have in your mind, that's why it's important to keep drawing everyday. It doesn't matter what you are drawing, nor the quality of it- it can be the people walking around you, the trees, the buildings or some interesting ideas you've got these days.
A good tool for gesture drawing practice is http://www.quickposes.com/ ( here you have challenges based on different categories and a timer, where you can set your own time as well). or http://artists.pixelovely.com/ (here you can practice hands & feet and animal drawing).

• Draw a big variety of subjects. 

Draw everything: from small flowers to big buildings, from cars to big scary monsters etc. You need to capture as many subjects as possible, not just the ones you like. A good artist need to know more than just how to draw a cute bunny eating a carrot :D. If you really don't know what to draw, here you have a list of subjects - drawing list . A weekly challenge like draw more would be helpful too, as well as 30 days Challenge on this blog. There are a lot of challenges like this, so just chose the right one for you.

• Draw with different tools. 

Try to use as many tools and materials as possible for giving you a sense of how and when to use each of them (and how to combine them). Try pens, pencils, watercolor pencils with pen or ink; try oils; soft and hard pastel, try gouache or watercolor and of course your favorite application for drawing, where you have (almost) all the tools that you had ever dreamed about. Just be curious and experimental when drawing, every tool will give you a different feeling and perception, and maybe new ideas.

• Don't copy. 

Copying is a practice too, but try to add always your personal touch, transforming it in a good practice. The more, the better. That's about creating your style. If you see a good photo, try to recreate it with your own resources and imagination, not just make a quick copy of it. When you're practicing life drawing, for example, either it is a real or photo-based session, always draw two or three gesture poses from your imagination or memory - it also helps you to see the progress you've made from the previous one. Copying is an automated process and doesn't develop neither your creativity, nor your style. So: change colors, shapes, add/remove elements, rotate or flip to get an original artwork created by you. Here is how you should use references for drawing references, photo references.

• Use different techniques. 

Every tool has it's own techniques, so just explore the tools you have and use them in different ways, try other ways than the usual ones to make them draw. Also try different styles - as many as possible, so that you won't be tempted to copy one style that you like so much, but instead creating your own, unique style through experimenting and practice. Here is a place with many videos about tools and techniques for drawing here I am.

Other tips would be drawing with your both hands, drawing with the closed eyes or without looking on paper, also drawing with your left hand (with the right if you are left-handed). Just go wild and experiment.
Create a drawing routine, but make your drawing different every time.

Challenge #30

Hurrah! This is the last challenge!
Make a greeting card to congratulate yourself for your hard working month.

Good luck!

And, as I love textures, created a greeting card totally textured. The congratulations are inside :D

Challenge #29

Make some text art today.
We had to draw a letter in a previous challenge, now make a composition from more letters or even whole words or sentences.

Good luck!

My work:

Challenge #28

Illustrate today the autumn.
Use its feelings, colors, events etc and create your beautiful autumn.


Here is my abstract autumn in a diptych format.

Challenge #27

Create a human character today inspired from one of your friends.



And my character here:

Challenge #26

Let's study some anatomy today.
Make a composition using some human bones.

Here is mine:

Challenge #25

Make a work on the theme "The world seen through my eyes.".

My work:

Challenge #24

Illustrate the favorite fairy tale today. It doesn't need to be recognizable, just draw it or paint your own impression about it.


My fairy tale:

Challenge #23

Today we have a template-based challenge.
Create a work based on the template below.

Make anything you want using this template - be it traditional or digital.

Here are examples of how this template can be used:

And my example:

Challenge #22

Let's go typography today.

Create an image of a letter today. Make your own letter or just use textures and decorations for an existing one.


My example:

Challenge #21

Let's give a try to the cubism style today.
Use a human figure and transform it on your canvas creating a cubism style image.
Here is more about cubism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubism.

Happy creating!


Here is my cubist female:

Challenge #20

Let's color our day today!
Make the rainbow appear on your canvas! Create an image related to the rainbow theme. Make the rainbow itself or just use its colors to illustrate it.

Good luck!

And my rainbow on my cat:

Challenge #19

Today is the transformation day!
Create an image that shows a metamorphosis - be it about you or just something interesting surrounding you.

Good luck!

My transformation:

Challenge #18

Let's make someone happy today!
Make a birthday card if you have some close birthdays or just a greeting card for someone you want to thank for something or just tell what a beautiful person he/she is.

Happy creating!

My birthday card here:

Challenge #17

Today is the architecture day.
Draw a building you find eye catching or just a fragment of it (a particular door or some interesting stairs).

Happy drawing!

And my architecture:

Challenge #16

"Listen" to your imagination!
Draw today a character inspired from your imagination (it surely has something interesting to say). If the character has a story- it's even better - let him/her tell it to us, we'll enjoy it.

Happy drawing!

My work:

Challenge #15

So, we reached halfway in our 30 days challenge!
For celebrating this, chose one on these 14 challenges you liked most and remake it in another style or combine more of them in a lovely artwork.

Don't worry and be happy!

My work:

Challenge #14

"The darkness is coming" is our today challenge's theme. Draw or paint anything related to this, in any medium you wish, be it a scary character or a mysterious place which inspires fear. Let your imagination put its mark on your work.

Good luck!


My darkness:

Challenge #13

Let's make a stylized portrait today.
Take a photo or a real model and make a quick sketch of a portrait. Modify, simplify the shapes, add decorations etc and create an unusual portrait. Try to use graphical elements for more texture and expression.

Good luck!

My work here:

Challenge #12

Let's try today the collage technique.
Grab some old magazines, bills and all kind of paper or cardboard found in your house, tear or cut them into small pieces and stick them into a composition entitled "My bright future". Gather the colors and textures you like and need for your work, cut different sizes of paper for a more dynamic composition. A single magazine usually has all that you need.
I want you to feel positive and optimistic today, so, even if you'll illustrate a dark future, the title will remain "My bright future" :P

Happy creating!

And my collage here:

Challenge #11

Today challenge's theme is "Magic". Make anything related to this theme - be it a character filled with this power showing his skills, the magics themselves gathered together for the way to success or just an amazing flower, bird or rainbow which you consider having a magic feeling.

Good luck!


My work:

Challenge #10

Draw your favorite animal today. It can be your own pet or a mythical one. Just put a personal touch in it ;)

Happy drawing!


My favorite:

Challenge #9

Let's go abstract today ;).

Make an abstract composition using one pair of complementary colors from the chromatic spectrum. Which are they? Purple - yellow, red - green and blue - orange. Use one color as dominant. Chose one simple geometric shape (circle, triangle, square) and create the composition based on it. Use principles as overlapping, division or intersection.

Happy painting!

Mine:

Challenge #8

Let's make an ode to our darling summer and make today a summer landscape. It doesn't need to be realistic, just make it in your own style. You can describe (together with your work) in a few words how you felt about this summer.

Good luck!


And... my summer

Challenge #7

Today we'll create a composition with objects. Pick up 4-7 different objects and just put them in front of you, without any arrangement. It's not a still life - here arrangement is in your mind only. Create a composition using all these objects. They must keep their shapes and textures, but can be over sized or over minimized and rotated in every angle in space (x,y,z). Combine two mediums for this challenge.

Happy painting!

My work in gouache here:

Challenge #6

Hi there!
Today is the expression day! Just draw or paint whatever your today feelings speak to you. Draw, paint, photograph, craft, design etc. Any visual creation is accepted. Just be creative... or not. It's a kind of relaxation from the yesterday challenge :D.
Happy creating!


Today I feel photomanipulation:

Challenge #5

The fifth challenge is about composition. It's bit more complex than the rest, but it's all about learning.

Create a square monochrome module which will have no center of interest. The color must be very close to black or black, for reaching the desired contrast. It should look like a pattern. Gradients aren't allowed. Use lines and shapes and create a dynamic module through contrast (we'll talk more about this later).

Now, use the same module (a copy) and add graphical elements to balance and calm it. Use them for creating the third tonality. In this way, the dynamic module will turn into a static one.

Once you have these two modules, multiply and arrange them in a square composition consisting of 25 modules totally. The proportion is 10 to 15, either you use the dynamic or the static modules most. Depending on how you fill the proportions, you'll get a dynamic or a static composition. I recommend to rotate the modules when arranging them, for a more catchy composition.

The examples below are meant to eliminate all the confusions you have. These are module examples.

Good luck and happy drawing!

Here is my work:

Challenge #4

Today we'll create our self-portraits. Be it realistic or abstract, traditional or digital, just create the best image of yourself ;).

And... myself.

Challenge #3

Heya!
Let's make today the watercolor day. In this challenge we'll use the cool/warm contrast in a symbol composition. Chose a symbol you like and work with it - slice it, oversize, overlay, repeat it etc. All these using the cool/warm contrast.

About the warm and cold  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_theory#Warm_vs._cool_colors.

Here is a good example of such a contrast:

And, as usual, my example

Challenge #2

Hello people!
Today is the second day of our 30 days challenge! You can begin from today or whenever you feel comfortable, we'll make more rules beginning with the next month :).

So, today let's draw a stylized still life with ink on paper. You can use the brush, the pen, and even the fingers :D. If you don't have ink, use a marker or an ordinary pen. Stylization is modifying the shapes in the simple direction, simplifying them until primary shapes sometimes. Use different sizes and shapes when you make your composition. Examples of good still lifes are shown below.

Or you can use one of these images if you don't have one. 

Happy drawing!

An here is mine!

Challenge #1

Hello people!
Today is the day we begin the challenges, the 30 days drawing challenge!
We'll work with different media as watercolor, pastels, ink, soft pencils, colored pencils etc, and digital media as well. So, if you don't have the tools for a specific media, chose something similar from yours.

What are we going to do today? The today challenge is "Wonderland" - an inspiring positive theme for a good beginning. Do anything related to this theme, whatever is your wonderland, something you saw in movies or completely created by your imagination. And, you are limited to use only the colors from the scheme below. Blending is allowed and the background should be one of these colors, no white should be seen. If you use traditional media, try to match the colors as much as possible to this scheme.
Happy drawing!

And here is my entry. Enjoy!

8 easy tips for cultivating your creativity

Creativity is nothing more than problem solving with relevance and novelty. It's not an exclusive trait of the artistic, but rather a quality you already possess and wield every single moment you drop your feet to the floor. More important, you can get better at it. This is both an awesome and terrifying truth.
It's easy to blame your lack of creativity for your uninspired and bad decisions or even the inability to make them at all, but it's not so hard to put some effort into discovering and enhancing it further.

Here are 8 easy tips that don't need much time and resources. Making from these a daily routine will bring you great improvement in your creative thinking.

1. Play games. Play a computer game for 30 minutes everyday. Games are funny, interesting and develops strategic thinking and logic. They also helps growing your memory, reaction, dexterity and many other features, depending on each particular game. The idea is to play different games from different genres, as the variety of scenes, characters and gameplays will generate a plenty of associations in your head.
2. Playing the chef. Try a new condiment in your usual meal while cooking or eating it. Put a bit more than normal to feel it. Had you ever tasted ice-cream with chili? Maybe you should ;). Discover new flavors and make your own recipes!
3. Reading is funny! Grab an anecdotes book or browse them on internet and have some fun reading them. Creativity is also about laughing and relaxing. It is also a wholesome activity when you're stressed and exhausted after a long working day.
4. Keep a journal. It's simple - take a notebook and keep tracking all your daily actions there. Using metaphors. So, keep a metaphor journal. How would you describe taking a shower through a metaphor? That sounds challenging. Begin with a metaphor per day and increase the number as you feel confident with.
5. Freewrite. Take a pen, a paper and 5 minutes, and write all this time. Don't think what to write, don't bother about grammar and don't try to edit while writing - you can do it later. You can write on a specific theme or let it untitled and give the title according to the content. It's good to have an alarm, then you don't have to look at the timer every time. 
6. Keep a sketchbook. It's the same journal, the only difference is that you'll draw there, not write. Draw the people around you, the interesting places you see, your pet or just scribble there something. Carry your sketchbook with you everywhere (and your camera) - you don't want to miss something nice. Beside creativity, you'll develop your drawing skills as well.
7. Come back on another road. Wherever you're going, return home on another road, better the long one. Discover new surroundings, new people and maybe new feelings. It's all about changes.
8. Change hands. Yeah, I mean it literally - if you're right handed, try to do your usual actions with the left one and viceversa. It might be uncomfortable at first, but do not swoop into writing novels with your left hand, because you'll probably give away at the second sentence. Instead, try the easiest things like eating, brushing your teeth or dressing. While doing this, you put to work both left and right part of the brain, which is an invaluable practice for your creativity.

Do these regularly and you'll reveal your inner creativity.

What are you doing for the wellness of your creativity? Share your own tips in the comments.

Here we are!

Welcome to daily challenges!
If you're here it means you're ready to work. If you wonder when, I'll tell you.
Meanwhile, let's get know each other. Post an image with your name/nickname written in a creative way on my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/marycoosan. It can be a simple stylish font, your logo, avatar or a real piece of art - it's on your own. Feel free to use any media you are comfortable with - only that your name or nickname should be readable in your image. Don't bother too much with it - just express yourself, feel it like a game.

We'll begin with a 30 days challenge, which we'll start on September the 15th. If you wish something included there (based on your drawing issues or just have some great ideas to be tried) please leave your comments here. Happy drawing!

A playing cat tree

As my cat is a wonderful, lovely being in my house, I decided he needs a tree he can play with when I'm busy.

So... how I built it?

I created the strain using some rolls from ex toilet papers and kitchen towels and binded them together with duct tape. Glued the strain to a rectangular cardboard base both top and bottom and decorated it with small pieces of my old sketches. Added a double brunch on this strain (an incense sticks roll) and wrapped all this with a long cord. On the surface of the top card I clung a few colourful small rolls covered with foam and fluffy fabric sheets and pasted a triangle upon it for strength. For resistance, I glued four triangular bars on the borders of the bottom card. Finally, I decorated these cards with a collage of foam sheets in different colours. I have bound all this construction to a piece of tile for weight. And that's it! The tree is ready for playing! You'll understand the whole process from the images. Haven't taken photos during the process, so you have only the final result here, but I promise next time I will.